Tottenham’s Gareth Bale has labelled Charlie Adam a “coward” and has claimed
that the Liverpool midfielder deliberately set out to injure him during
Saturday’s supposed friendly match in the United States.

The Spurs winger had to be substituted at half-time and left the stadium wearing a protective boot over his left ankle after a crude lunge by the Liverpool midfielder in the 18th minute of the 0-0 draw here.

It is the second time Bale has been injured in a tackle by Adam. In May 2011 the Welsh winger was left with ruptured ankle ligaments and was out for three months after a horrific tackle by Adam who was then playing for Blackpool.

In a rare instance of a player publicly criticising a fellow professional, Bale has suggested that the latest incident, during which Adam lunged wildly at the 23 year-old from behind with little chance of winning the ball, was no accident.

The Welshman said: “There are pictures on the internet of what he did before when he snapped all my ankle ligaments. I was out for three months that time and one player told me he went out to do the same thing to me again.

“I was surprised to see a challenge like that in a friendly. We’re all over here to build our fitness and get a good workout and what he did was over the top, to be honest. But some people are like that and it’s just wrong.”

After the game a clearly angry Andre Villas-Boas insisted that Adam should apologise to Bale. The Spurs manager said that his player was lucky to escape hospital.

He said: “I can never doubt Charlie’s integrity but it is a very, very nasty challenge. The player is gone and he comes in from behind on Gareth’s ankle. I did not know the previous history between the two. I know now.”

Bale now faces a scan to determine the extent of his injured ankle. The player did not hold back when asked after the game what he thought of Adam.

He added: “From what I’ve seen of him on pitch, I think he’s a bit of a coward. He’s done it before. He’s obviously come for me twice now – and he’s got me twice.

“All I want to do is play my game and play it in the right way. It’s flattering when players try to take you out in a game but when it threatens your career, it becomes more serious than that.

“I would have understood if it had it been a slightly mistimed tackle, even though it was just a friendly. But the ball was 10 yards past him already and was nowhere near him when he came through my ankle.”

The 26 year-old refused to comment when asked about the incident and Bale said he received no apology from Adam, who was spoken to by Villas-Boas about the challenge as the pair left the pitch at half-time.

But the Welshman said he would not accept an apology from Adam.

“He didn’t say anything to me afterwards. I’ve had no apology,” Bale said. “When someone makes a very bad tackle on you in a game you expect him to come up and apologise.

"I’ve had no apology from him and I don’t really want one from him to be honest. I’m not going to accept his apology,” added Bale.

Bale’s comments are sure to intensify the feud between the two players. But the winger says he is at a loss to understand the apparent animosity from Adam towards him.

“I haven’t ever done anything to him,” Bale said adding that his ankle was “Sore – very, very sore. We’ll have to wait and see how it goes. I’ll probably have to have a scan.”

But Bale’s Spurs team-mate Kyle Walker offered a possible explanation: “It’s simple. He [Adam] is jealous as Gareth is such a good player. It just keeps coming up that he doesn’t really like him.

“Gareth is a very good player. He needs protection. Players shouldn’t hate him but appreciate playing against a player like him. They can actually learn from him rather kick him.”

He pulled out of the Great Britain Olympic squad citing a back injury, but then played and scored in Tottenham’s pre-season tour before Team GB had even played their first match.

Sepp Blatter, the Fifa President, suggested Bale could be banned from taking part in club games for the duration of the Games. But the Football Association have yet to formally complain and is unlikely to do so.